Draft Analysis: David Bell

Height: 6’2″
Weight: 205 lbs
College: Purdue
Tape watched: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Iowa ’20 + ’21, Minnesota ’20
NFL Comparison: Zay Jones

Pros

Route Running
Silky smooth with touches of grace and patience, David Bell shows high level knowledge and ability with his route running. He has a great feel for defensive coverages and adapts quickly with his plans. Bell knows where he needs to be and the tempo to get himself there appropriately. He doesn’t race to his spots if he can setup the defense for more separation. He does show instances where he pushes off or grabs defenders at the top of his routes, which may draw offensive pass interference calls.

Bell shows a high level of route running on his dig route. It almost looks like he has a choice to hitch at the top of his stem, or run the in-route if the defender sits, which is ultimately what happens. Either way, Bell allows the out breaking route to develop underneath him and is patient getting to the soft spot of the defense.

Contested Catches
Bell is highly impressive in contested catch situations. He shields off defenders well with his body and secures almost every target thrown his way. He absorbs contact well at the catch point and doesn’t lose focus of the ball. He has great body control both in the air and on the sidelines.

As noted above, Bell gets pretty physical at the top of his route stem here. He finishes the route with an outstanding contested catch coming down to the football.

Blocking
David Bell projects to be an above average blocking receiver. His technique and strength in blocking is top tier in this draft class. He did have a few mishaps identifying the correct defender to block, but overall he should be in the NFL.

Bell seals the middle linebacker on a crack back. He could have tried for a kill shot here, risking a penalty, but his technique and strength allows him to square up and seal the defender.

Whether Bell doesn’t see the slot defender or he takes the play off, this missed block potentially takes a huge gain off the board.

Hands
David Bell has some sturdy mitts on him. He sees the ball into his hands and squeezes it away. He uses every bit of his 6’2″ frame to highpoint receptions. He rarely lets the ball into his body and only one drop was witnessed in five games observed. He should have no issues catching the football in the NFL.

Cons

Speed/Agility
There are definitely speed questions Bell will likely answer at the combine. He does not appear to stretch the field and run away from defenders. His catch and run opportunities are also limited on tape. His lateral agility looks to be average at best. He does look to punish defenders at the end of catches, and rarely loses yards after the catch.

Overview

David Bell could end up the steal of the draft depending where he finally lands in the draft. He projects to be an NFL-ready receiver with a rare sense of football IQ at the young stage of his career. He has NFL-caliber hands, and quite the polish with his route running. His stock might inevitably suffer with the lack of game changing speed, or run-after-catch shine, but he should be one of the most reliable receivers in his class.